Alba out, Puyol back for Barca trip to Getafe

14 September 2012 06:17

Spanish international left-back Jordi Alba will play no part in Barcelona's trip to Getafe on Saturday because of illness, but skipper Carles Puyol is back, the Catalan club announced on Friday.

Alba returned from Spain's World Cup qualifying win in Georgia in midweek suffering from illness, and joins Andres Iniesta and Alexis Sanchez on the sidelines.

Iniesta, who was recently named UEFA's Best Player in Europe for 2012, picked up an adductor injury on international duty, while Sanchez hurt himself playing for Chile.

Barca coach Tito Vilanova has therefore called up youngsters Cristian Tello and Gerard Deulofeu for the game at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez, where the Catalans lost last season, and where Real Madrid have already been beaten in the current campaign.

Meanwhile, Puyol is available again after fracturing his right cheekbone in the 2-1 win at Osasuna on August 26.

Vilanova announced that he will wait until shortly before kick-off to make a decision on whether Lionel Messi will start the game.

The world player of the year played twice in World Cup qualifiers for Argentina over the past week, in the 3-1 home win against Paraguay and the 1-1 draw in Peru.

And with Barca's opening Champions League game to come at home to Spartak Moscow on Wednesday, he may start the game on the bench.

"I spoke with him this morning and he says he has recovered well. Tomorrow I will speak to him again. We will make our decision based on how he feels," Vilanova said.

Barcelona are the only club in La Liga to have won their opening three matches of the season, and sit two points clear of Mallorca, Malaga and Rayo Vallecano in the table.